


A Life Lived

by antha_athamai



Category: Supernatural
Genre: All Human, Alternate Universe, Death, M/M, Old Age
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-11
Updated: 2012-12-11
Packaged: 2017-11-20 21:40:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/589938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antha_athamai/pseuds/antha_athamai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean and Castiel have lived most of their lives by the others side. They've grown up and grown old together but now it's time for the final goodbye.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Life Lived

Dean gripped his husband’s hand, watching as the frail chest lifted in a strained attempt at breathing. The hospital monitors beeped around them, nurses bustling past and the scent of chemicals masking the death and decay that saturated the air. But Dean was oblivious to all; focused solely on the man laid before him, the man he'd spent the last 76 years beside.  
The pair had been inseparable from the beginning, their mothers giving birth within hours of each other. They grew up in houses next door, until it couldn't be said in which house either lived, so frequently did both boys visit the other. Even in school when other children didn't understand why athletic outgoing Dean Winchester wanted to spend time with the bookish, quiet Castiel Novak did they separate. Their bond defied any reason, they may have had different interests but they always had each other.  
Things got harder in high school, when Cas discovered his feelings for his best friend were no longer strictly platonic and Dean discovered denial and losing himself in girls.  
They'd always planned on going to college together but Cas found that being around his friend who so obviously didn't return his feelings was too painful, wanting him in ways he could never have and so began the worst period in either of their lives. Cas accepted a place on the other side of the country. They fought about it, Dean not understanding why Cas wanted to leave, why everyone left. It killed Cas to know what he was putting Dean through, not being able to explain why he had to leave, but leave he did.  
The two didn't speak for almost 3 years, until Cas returned to his hometown upon finishing his theology degree when it was impossible not to see each other again. Cas also brought back his boyfriend Balthazar, having found that while it would always be Dean first and foremost, he could find happiness with others, though that other had to be a boy.  
While Cas was gone, Dean began to understand that he loved Castiel, loved him like he was supposed to love girls but just never had. So when he came back with his stupid British boyfriend, Deans heart near broke because he'd always held out hope that he and Cas might happen but it seemed impossible now.  
Getting Dean to talk to him took a long time but eventually, Cas got him to tell the truth about his feelings and that was quickly the end of Balthazar.  
And so began the happiest period in their lives, which truth be told had lasted until now, until Cas got sick.  
They had quickly moved in together, loving each other whole heartedly, until it became a trial for most of their family to visit them, so sickeningly cute did they act. Cas became a professor of theology and Dean eventually opened up an autoshop, specialising in classic cars. They got engaged and a small ceremony followed and they became husbands. Both revelled in being able to call the other such.  
And then came both their proudest achievements or most terrifying, especially for Dean. They became parents. They adopted one child to begin with, a young girl named Claire, whose parents had abandoned her. Quickly, they took to parenthood and could hardly imagine what life had been like without their precious daughter and so the decision to adopt again was easy, a new born boy whom they named Robert or Bobby in honour of the man who had practically raised Dean. A few years passed and they slipped into a routine with their children, taking them to school, dinner, bathing, putting to bed and loved every second and so they decided to finish their family with one more child and this time it was another girl named Emma.  
To them their family was perfect, they loved each other and so it was easy to ignore any looks or comments that were made because they were two men.  
Years passed and their children grew up, leaving the nest to lead their own successful lives and Castiel and Dean grew old together, never leaving the others side.  
"Dad? How long have you been sat here?"  
Dean was brought out of his memories by his eldest daughter’s voice. Without his noticing, his 3 children had entered the room and gathered around Cas' bed.  
"I haven't really left sweetheart" he admitted. There was no way he was leaving Cas now, not before Cas left him forever.  
"Dad it’s doing your health no good to sit in that chair all the time" his son, the doctor informed him.  
"Bobby, I'm not leaving him, I've told you"  
His children looked at him with sadness. They understood, had always understood, just how deeply their parents loved each other, how utterly devoted they were. So none of them really expected Dean to listen to their advice, if it meant leaving Cas it wasn't happening.  
At that moment a doctor entered the room and they turned expectantly, awaiting the inevitable bad news.  
"I'm sorry to tell you, he suffered another stroke in the night. He hasn't much time left, days at most though it's unlikely it'll be that long"  
Deans face fell as he received the news, he'd known it was coming but that didn't soften the blow. Tears gathered and though he tried to stop them, they began to fall. He turned away, grabbing Cas' hand again and clinging on, as if to keep him here. Cas couldn't die, what would he do without him? He'd been at his side for so long, he didn't know what alone meant.  
Tactfully his children left the room, giving Dean time to let his emotions out, something his children knew he had a hard time expressing to anyone who wasn't Cas.  
He pressed a kiss to the hand he held and let his thoughts out.  
"We've had a good life haven't we Cas? Three fantastic children, a home, a thriving business that Emma is brilliant with, probably better than me" He didn't know if Cas could even hear him anymore but he carried on regardless.  
"I've loved every minute of it Cas, I love you so much. I know I might not have said that out loud as much as you deserved but you knew. I know you knew. I can't imagine what its going to be like waking up and not seeing your beautiful face, your eyes, I'll miss your eyes the most. They told me exactly how you were feeling. Dammit Cas, what am I going to do without you?"  
A sob racked his body and he pressed his face to Cas' chest. He could barely feel any movement now and instinctively he knew the time was close.  
"I don't want you to suffer though Cas. If you have to, leave. Don't hang around for me, I'll be ok. I've got the kids and I'll see you again, I know it"  
He had no idea why he had faith now, when all his life he'd told Cas it was rubbish, but the idea of never seeing Cas again was too much to handle.  
"I love you Castiel. I love you"  
The monitor began a long endless beep as Cas died and Dean felt the last breath leave him from his place on his chest.  
He didn't know how much time passed before people began trying to move him. He didn't want to leave Cas alone, even though he knew that Cas was gone now. This was the final goodbye.  
"Dad you need to let the doctors move him"  
He heard Claire’s voice and it woke him slightly and he found his children surrounding him, each tear-stained and he nodded and stood. Cas was gone. Claire took his hand and slowly began to lead him from the room. He paused at the door to look back at the man who had been his whole life.  
"I'll see you soon Cas. I won't keep you waiting long."  
The door closed softly behind him.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
